(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with the utilization of beeswax from single plant sources an ingredient in hypoallergenic lip balms, and lip sticks and other cosmetic preparations.
(2) Description of the Background
Beeswax has been used as an ingredient in cosmetic preparations virtually since the beginning of the cosmetic art. It has been used in countless preparations; however beeswax has always been utilized as one item of commerce when in fact it is many. In the same way that the composition of honey varies depending on the plant source from which the nectar is derived, the composition of beeswax varies according to the plants the bees were feeding on at the time the comb was drawn.
The immediately obvious differences are in color and consistency of the wax, which are occasionally observed. For example, virgin Brazilian pepper beeswax is yellow, and tupelo beeswax is white. These differences have never been considered important nor noticed because the wax is melted downs, combined, processed and formed into blocks.
The differences in plant source are probably only important in the manufacture of hypoallergenic lip balms, lip sticks, and other cosmetic preparations. Allergic people will respond differently to beeswaxes, depending on the plant sources in the mix of beeswaxes, because of responses to plant residues in the wax.
This can be used to an advantage when developing hypoallergenic cosmetic preparations. By selecting beeswaxes from hypoallergenic plant sources and combining them where possible with an oil from the same plant or closely related plant, it is possible to develop almost universally well tolerated cosmetic preparations.